Action Needed to Improve Mental Health Support for Children and Young People
A new joint report published today by the health, care, and education inspectorates in Wales highlights the need for improvements in mental health support for children and young people.
During our work, we heard from 215 children and young people, 200 parents and carers, as well as 252 professionals. When asked, over half of children and young people aged 11 to 16 told us they didn’t know where to turn for support, and many told us, when help was needed, it wasn’t always available.
While some progress has been made, the findings by Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW), Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW), and Estyn reveal that many children and young people are still struggling to access the help they need, when they need it.
The report highlights the dedication of professionals who are working hard to support children and young people, despite increasing demand for services. Innovative solutions, such as online resources and app-based support, along with welcoming spaces like Crisis Hubs and Youth Cafés, are providing young people with flexible options for seeking help. However, further action is required to ensure that every child and young person in Wales gets the right support, at the right time.
Our work has illustrated the need for organisations to work better together, particularly in addressing the ongoing challenges with accessing specialist mental health support across Wales.
Key findings include:
- Improvement in Early Help and Prevention: Schools, online platforms, and voluntary groups are providing more mental health support than ever to prevent the need for specialist CAMHS input, but some children and young people are still missing out on timely and effective support.
- Gaps in Specialist Care: Despite shorter waiting times for initial CAMHS assessments, follow-up care remains a major challenge for all children and young people. This is particularly the case for those with complex needs, including care experienced and neurodiverse young people, who are often left without timely and effective care.
- Disparity in service access: There are disparities with the eligibility criteria and thresholds for accessing CAMHS, leaving many families and professionals frustrated by the communication and lack of clarity around how these decisions are made. It was also concerning to find that those who speak Welsh were not easily able to converse in their language of choice for mental health care and support.
- Rise in Crisis Support: New initiatives like Sanctuary Spaces and Crisis Hubs are providing alternatives to emergency room care for children and young people in crisis. However, high demand means many are still only accessing support when they reach breaking point.
- What Needs to Change: The report raises concerns about funding, poor communication between services, and a lack of coordinated care. It calls for stronger partnerships between health and local authorities to ensure children and young people get the right care at the right time.
We hope the findings within this report drive forward improvement for children, young people and those close to them so that they have a better experience accessing services like CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services), with shorter, clearer waiting times.
Alun Jones, Chief Executive of Healthcare Inspectorate Wales, said:
"This report highlights the urgent need for improvement in mental health services for our children and young people. While we commend the dedication of professionals who are working tirelessly to provide support, many children and young people are still struggling to access the care they need. We cannot allow a sense of helplessness amongst children and young people to persist; every child in Wales should know where to turn for help and receive timely support, regardless of their location.
The findings highlight both the progress made and the significant gaps that remain. We must improve collaboration among health boards and local authorities to create a more coordinated system. This is not just about improving services; it’s about ensuring that every child and young person in Wales has the right mental health support they need.
We thank all the children, young people, parents, carers, professionals, and stakeholders who contributed to this review.”
Chief Inspector of Care Inspectorate Wales, Gillian Baranski said:
"Mental health support for our children and young people is not just a statistic; it's a call to action. It's deeply concerning that over half of Wales’s children and young people don't know where to turn for help. We recognise the immense strain this places on individuals, families, and our dedicated professionals in health, education, and local authorities. While initiatives like Crisis Hubs offer hope, we must do more. We are committed to fostering better collaboration between services, addressing gaps in care, and working tirelessly towards a mental health support system that is transparent, accessible, and effective for every child and young person in Wales.
His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education and Training in Wales, Owen Evans said:
“The findings of this report highlight that more needs to be done to improve mental health support for children and young people in Wales. Although there are some innovative approaches being delivered by committed professionals, too many young people cannot access the support they need in a timely manner. In the report, we identify the need for all partners to work together effectively to urgently improve services for every child and young person in Wales. Our thanks to all the children, young people, families, professionals, and stakeholders who contributed to this review.”
If you or someone you know are going through a difficult time and need support, please access the information and resource links below:
Youth Friendly - Checking mental health support for children and young people in Wales